


Fortune with Your Coffee?

by raptorginger



Series: Tumblr Requests [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Based on a song, Ben is a librarian, Coffee Shop, F/M, Fluff, No Angst, POV Ben Solo, Rey is an astrophysicist, anon request, sfw, tarot reading, the fortune teller, who gives tarot readings on the side
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-06 00:06:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16377641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raptorginger/pseuds/raptorginger
Summary: Anon request on Tumblr for a fic with no angst and SFW.  I plan on writing one or two more short Reylo fics with these stipulationsBased on the song "The Fortune Teller" by Robert Plant and Allison Kraus (or The Rolling Stones, if you prefer)





	Fortune with Your Coffee?

Ben went to the same coffee shop every morning - Comet Coffee in the Nickels Arcade. Nickels Arcade was a sort of covered mall. Vintage looking shops lined both sides of the brick walkway, and a gable skylight of metal framed wired glass served as the ceiling. The shops were an eclectic bunch, and Ben usually passed them without seeing them. A florist, ridiculously overpriced shoes and clothes, knick knacks. He always made a beeline for Comet before heading into work. It was the closest coffee shop to his office in the Law Library. Well, the closest shop worth going to, in Ben’s opinion. They carried a rotating selection of Intelligentsia coffee, seasonal, and Black Cat espresso. The shop was minimalist in design, lofty and airy, and the baristas didn’t bother with a lot of unnecessary chatter, which Ben appreciated not being a sociable type.

Of course, if Ben was honest with himself, there was another reason he went to Comet everyday. A pair of pretty hazel eyes surrounded by a constellation of freckles. An adorable nose and a pair of blushing pink lips from which came a lyrical British accent. The charmingly adorable Fortune Teller. Rey.

“Morning, Mr. Solo!” she’d say brightly, smiling so her nose wrinkled.

“Good morning, Miss Johnson,” he’d reply, blushing slightly at the attention.

“Read your fortune today?” she’d ask, shuffling her worn Tarot cards expectantly.

“Not today, I’m afraid,” he’d respond sadly. His excuse would change, but the gist was always the same. Ben liked to tell himself he didn’t believe in that kind of thing. That’s why he always said no. Rey would smile anyway.

“What are lawyers looking at today?” she’d wonder while he waited for his cup of coffee to finish brewing.

Sometimes he’d say constitutional law. Sometimes eminent domain. Sometimes it’d be something more mundane. She would always listen, her eyes attentive as she shuffled her cards. Ben didn’t think anyone else would find his job interesting. He thought being the Law Librarian for the University was interesting, but he could never get anyone else to listen to him talk about it for more than two minutes. Except for Rey. She always listened.

“Anything new in the stars these days?” he’d ask Rey as he stirred cream and sugar into his cup.

Rey was a graduate student in Astrophysics. Usually she’d say “nothing much,” but lately with the new discoveries, she’d tell him all about things he didn’t really understand. He’d write it down in a little notebook to Google later. He always put ten dollars in her tip jar.

She’d smile and waggle her fingers goodbye as Ben walked out, and he’d give her a wave back.

***

It was a cold day in October. Ben was dressed in a pair of dark slim fit jeans, his favorite beige tweed jacket with the leather elbow patches, and a pair of cognac colored leather wingtips on his feet. His thick rimmed glasses were perched precariously on his nose as he walked into Comet Coffee, a large breeze wafting in as the door closed behind him. He heard the rustle of papers, and he bent to gather some that had fluttered to his feet. Shuffling them in his hands, he went to pass them to their owner, blushing slightly when he saw Rey’s outstretched hand.

“Sorry about that, Miss Johnson,” he muttered apologetically. She was dressed impeccably as always. Light blue skinny jeans, a cream tunic t-shirt, a dark brown leather jacket, a olive green scarf, and ankle boots with a low stacked heel. Her lovely brown hair was plaited haphazardly, leaving delicate wisps around her face. Ben absentmindedly wondered if all astrophysicists were this cute, or just the ones who gave tarot readings on the side.

She smiled brightly at him, like she always did. “No worries, Mr. Solo. You can’t fight the wind.”

He smiled back, heading up to the counter. “I guess you can’t. And please, call me Ben.”

She put her papers back in order, tucking them into her bag. “Only if you call me Rey.”

“Deal,” Ben said, smiling, as he placed his usual order with the barista.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Solo, but it’ll take a little longer than usual. We only got one hot plate right now, and we’re slammed,” the barista said, panic evident in their voice.

“Oh, well, no worries. I can wait.” Ben looked around the shop, momentarily thrown off. His eyes met Rey’s, and she smiled, arching a delicate brow expectantly. 

Ben approached her small table and sat in the small chair awkwardly. His knees bent uncomfortably and his hands in his lap, he waited for Rey.

“Read your fortune today, Ben?” Rey asked softly, a faint hint of pink coloring her cheeks.

“I think I have a moment, yes,” Ben replied, leaning forward as best he could.

He watched Rey shuffle her cards, a slight tremble in her fingers. He’d seen her do this countless times, but had never seen her so nervous.

“Are you alright?” Ben asked, concerned.

“Of course!” Rey replied indignantly.

“Just checking.”

Rey hummed while she laid out five cards in a simple cross pattern, flipping over each one carefully. She regarded the cards, her brows furrowed seriously. Ben looked at the five cards before him. He couldn’t make heads or tails of most of them, except to say that the pictures were lovely. The one in the middle though, was plainly a pair of lovers. The meaning of that one was pretty obvious. Ben leaned forward and looked at the cards more closely. The Emperor. The High Priestess. The Lovers. Two of Cups. Two of Pentacles. When he looked up, Rey was looking at him intently. Ben blushed again, unable to meet her gaze.

“The meaning here is pretty obvious I should think,” Rey said, smirking.

“I can guess,” Ben replied.

“You’re in love,” Rey stated matter-of-factly.

Ben could only get out a sputtering sound that vaguely sounded like “What?!” He wasn’t in love! Who was he supposed to be in love with? He lived alone. His life was quiet, peaceful. Routine.

Rey laughed, a bright cheery sound. “You’ll meet her _very_ soon. You’ll look into her eyes, and you’ll know. You and she will bring balance to each other,” she murmured, turning serious.

“Mr. Solo! Your coffee is ready!”

Ben jumped up like he’d been shocked, slinging his messenger bag back over his shoulder. He tripped up to the counter and grabbed his coffee. He was halfway out the door when he remembered something. He dropped a twenty in Rey’s tip jar, waving goodbye. Rey was hiding a laugh behind her fingers as she returned his wave goodbye with a friendly waggle of her fingers.

Ben went about his day with a lightness in his step and a smile on his face. He was a pessimist by nature, but his interaction with Rey this morning left him practically giddy. He looked forward to every meeting, every phone call he had that day with eager anticipation. However, by the time he clocked out, nothing had happened. He’d met no one he hadn’t met before. Certainly no one he was in love with. He went home with his usual frown. 

***

Ben woke up the next morning quite grouchy. He dreamt of a female figure who was always dancing just out of reach, of sparkling hazel eyes that he swore he’d seen before but couldn’t place. Ben sighed when he saw the dark purple splotches under his eyes as he combed his unruly black hair. He couldn’t wait to get his coffee. Should he tell Rey she’d been wrong, he wondered as he laced up his wingtips. There was a bitter taste in his mouth as he considered whether or not to tell her as he walked his normal route to campus. She’d raised his hopes so high, only for reality to dash them so expertly. He wondered if she’d gotten a good laugh out of it, tricking a lonely librarian. He was huffing with his hands crammed in the pockets of his wool coat when he reached Comet, all ready to accuse Rey of playing him for a fool. When he pushed the door open, eyes cast down, he almost barrelled right into the lithe figure standing just inside.

“Sorry,” he grumbled as he tried to side step the woman. 

Then, a familiar hand reached out and touched his wrist carefully. Ben looked up into a pair of sparkling hazel eyes surrounded by a constellation of freckles. He’d seen those eyes before, in his dreams and for so many days he’d lost count. She was a vision in dark jeans and a pale green cashmere turtleneck, brown hair pulled high. Rey was smiling so brightly, her eyes dancing, Ben felt his breath leave him. She was holding a cup of coffee out to him expectantly. Ben took it, his fingers covering hers. An electric shock tore through him. Rey stood on her toes, hesitating for only a moment before kissing him gently on his cheek.

“Good morning, Ben,” she whispered.

“Good morning, Rey,” he replied, grinning ear to ear.

The Fortune Teller had been right after all.


End file.
